Telegram from the CC CP of Azerbaijan to M.D. Bagirov on the Soviet-Iranian agreement

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[telegram] from Tabriz

CC CP (Bolsheviks) of Azerbaijan, to Cde. M. D. Bagirov

The Soviet-Iranian agreement and the Azerbaijan question, artificially fanned by several foreign circles and illegally raised for discussion in the Security Council after talks had begun between the two governments in Moscow and continued in Tehran, have concluded with a Soviet-Iranian agreement which has exerted a favorable influence on the political situation in the world. With this agreement the Soviet government has shown that it is interested in preserving peace and security in the whole world for a long time. Having seized on the Soviet-Iranian agreement as a suitable excuse for themselves, British and several other imperialist circles have made up their minds to expose the Soviet Union [as having] aggressive goals and encroaching on the independence and freedom of small nations.

Using the press and radio they have unleashed anti-Soviet propaganda, and in doing so tried to pass themselves off as genuine defenders of small nations and at the same time distract the attention of the world public from the crimes they have committed in Greece, Indonesia, Egypt, and India. At a time when negotiations were continuing between the Soviet and Iranian governments the imperialist circles and their associates have in every way denied the existence of these negotiations and sounded the alarm that Soviet troops continue to remain in Iran without any basis.

Having proclaimed the Soviet-Iranian question as a conflict threatening the peace and security of the world, with the aid of Iranian reactionaries they have dragged it to the Security Council. Moreover, the published Soviet-Iranian agreement has shown that the all the noise and lofty phrases about the Soviet-Iranian question were a patent lie and a violation of international laws, since the talks between the two governments were never broken off. The Soviet-Iranian agreement unmasks the lying and duplicitous policy of the imperialists and reactionary circles. The whole world knows that the Soviet government, being authentically democratic, is the most loyal and genuine defender of the independence and freedom of small nations. The Soviet government has never deceived and has never exploited small freedom-loving nations, as the colonialist states have but on the contrary has respected and defended their rights.

Kindling unjustified propaganda against the Soviet Union, imperialist circles are striving to induce the peoples of the world into a new bloody war. By signing of the Soviet-Iranian agreement the government showed that it wishes nothing other than the mutual friendship of peoples and their secure existence. They have again displayed their extreme interest in the strengthening and success of organized international security, but those who only issue lofty words about the protection of the interests of small nations have shown that [their] deeds do not at all correspond with their words. It is they, the imperialists and reactionaries, [who] are denying the national character of the liberation movement of the Azerbaijanis and are in every way trying to prove that this movement is externally inspired. It is they [who] want to repress the national liberation movement of the Azerbaijani people and control them forever as slaves.

Now, after the signing of the Soviet-Iranian agreement, it has become more evident that the Azerbaijani movement was created by the Azerbaijani people and is not associated with any foreign policy.

Now the whole world is convinced that the Soviet government has no territorial claims on Azerbaijan and other countries. The liberation movement in Azerbaijan is not the pseudo-revolution inspired by the British in India and in other countries.

If the British think so, it is only because they measure everything by their standards. As regards the Iranian-Azerbaijani question, from the first day we have declared that our wishes are restricted to support of their freedom within the boundaries of the Iranian state. We are not guilty if reactionary and hostile elements spread false rumors ascribing to us things which we do not wish. But our wishes have always had their limits and we were ready for talks with the Tehran government about their demands. However, the Tehran government ignored the just demands of the Azerbaijani people and did not wish to abandon [its] reactionary policy.

With the heroic efforts of the people and the selflessness of its soldiers they have put an end to the power of the reactionaries and won [their] liberty, [and] established their national government on a genuinely democratic basis. And if the present Tehran government wishes to be democratic then we are again ready for talks with them. If the leaders of the Tehran government intend to begin talks on the basis of authentic democracy and respect for the national freedom of the Azerbaijani people then we are genuinely ready for a friendly resolution of all our differences. But in doing so they should remember that our people, having achieved liberty with [our] blood, will in no case go further under oppression. We are always ready to defend [our] popular national government, not doubting our victory for a minute if one or another difficulty arises. And it should once and for all be remembered that the Azerbaijani people are fed up with false friendship [and] freedom.

It is impossible to shut up the Azerbaijani people, having ordered them not to speak [or] write in their native tongue, not to think of or to forget their own interests. The Azerbaijani people should speak, write, [and] read in their native language.  Decisively defending their national interests, they show that they live and will live as one of the talented peoples of the world. This conviction is the key to the resolution of all differences, because all attempts directed against this conviction have turned to failure. We have lived a long time within the Iranian state, but we will not put up with and will never tolerate the ruthless and unjust attitude of the Iranian government. But we have not achieved our liberty for this just to give it up easily. For us the Azerbaijani question is a matter of honor and pride.

Death for honor and conscience.

The sacred legacy of our forebears. We will die, but we will not stain our honor.

Ibragimov, Gasanov, Atakishiyev^[1]

[illegible initials/name and partial date - April]

12 April 1946

^[1] As of May 1946, Atakishiyev was a General-Major and Deputy Minister of State Security of the Azerbaijan SSR.